


A Partial Glossary of the Ethuvereise Language, with Further Etymological Speculations

by stardreamer



Category: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Genre: Glossary, Language, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-09 00:02:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4325949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardreamer/pseuds/stardreamer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As worked out by myself in the course of reading the book. </p>
<p>Secondarily, I am also trying to collect here links to other things that might be considered references for the story and the culture, which are at the end of the work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Partial Glossary of the Ethuvereise Language, with Further Etymological Speculations

**Adremaza** , title. The head maza of all the mazei of the Elflands.  
**Athmaza** , title. The surname adopted by all members of the Athmaz'are, replacing whatever surname they had before. They are apparently allowed to retain their given names.  
**Athmaz'are** , n. The association (guild) of mazei. 

**Barchakh'kaladim** , n. A Barizheise toy consisting of a set of nested dolls, similar to the Russian [matryoshka](http://masterrussian.com/russianculture/nesting_dolls.htm). The Barizheise version normally consists of a set of "progressively smaller, fiercer, and more hideous warriors". 

**barzhad** , n. An old-fashioned style of handwriting, colloquially called the "warrior's alphabet" and represented in the book by ALL CAPS. It is contrasted with "clerk's hand", the more commonly-used style. I envision the barzhad as being similar to [this](http://www.fontcraft.com/scriptorium/previews/surtur.jpg), or to the old Roman inscriptions where every letter is rendered in straight lines. 

**cairei** , n. (plural/collective). Stars -- inferred from the goddess Cstheio Caireizhasan, the Lady of Stars. It is not specified whether or not Ethuvereise has gendered nouns, so I cannot speculate on the singular form. 

**charis, charo, charei** , n. (male, female, plural). A servant. May be combined with prefixes to denote a specific type of servant. 

**Corazhas** , n. The emperor's chief advisers, equivalent to the Cabinet. The exact translation of the prefix "cora" is not clearly stated. 

**dach-** , prefix. An intensifier for a title or description, meaning roughly "greater".  
**dachen** , adj. "Greater" or "greatest".  
**dachenmaza** , title, pl. _dachenmazei_. The highest level of achievement for a maza.  
**Dachensol** , title. A highly skilled artisan, equivalent to Master.  
**Dach'osmer, -merrem, -min** , title of address for the greater nobility. I am not sure which equivalent ranks in the British peerage it would apply to; certainly Duke and Marquess, possibly Count and Viscount. 

**dav** , n. A Barizheise word meaning "household" or "office' (in the sense of an administrative department, not just the place where one works). Barizheise custom tends to blend the two meanings. 

**edocharis** , n., pl. _edocharei_. "Gentleman of the chamber," a valet. It is not specified whether anyone below the rank of emperor has edocharei, but I would be very surprised if at least the greater nobles didn't. One presumes that the equivalent personal maid for a lady would be an _edocharo_.  
**-ee** , suffix. Indicates a country manor estate owned by a noble; cf. Edonomee, Cethoree.  
**-el** , suffix. Indicates the Head of House, the actual holder of the title at present; cf. the Marquess Lanthevel. May apply only to nobility above a certain level. 

**keb** , n. A long white loose-fitting sleeveless garment worn for ritual occasions such as the emperor's pre-coronation vigil, or the initiations of some orders. 

**marnis** , n., pl. _marnei_. A male homosexual. The singular form also appears to be used as an adjective. One presumes that a lesbian would be a _marno_. 

**maz** , n. Magic in general, or a spell in particular.  
**maza** , n., pl. _mazei_. A magic-user or mage; someone who controls paranatural forces.  
**Mazen'theileian** , n. The Hall of Mazei, home of the Athmaz'are; similar to a large academic institution. 

**meire** , n. Temple or chapel. Often prefixed with an indication of the deity to whom it is dedicated. 

**Mer, Merrem, Min** , title of address for commoners. Mer = Mr., Merrem = Mrs., Min = Miss. 

**michen** , adj. "Lesser" or "little". Also used as a title of address for a minor child of either gender.  
**Michen-opera** , n. An operetta written for a children's audience.  
**Michen'theileian** , the emperor's lesser audience hall, smaller and less formal than the Untheileian. 

**mire** , n. A prison. 

**morhath** , n. Sky. This word is archaic and no longer used in Ethuvereise, but remains current in the language of the people of the Evressai steppes, who call themselves _Nazhmorhathveras_ \-- "people of the night sky". 

**mura** , n. (plural). Jewels -- specifically, the emperor's court jewelry. Also appears to apply to the emperor's crown. 

**nazh** , n. Night. This word is used by the people of the Evressai steppes; it is unclear whether or not it is also used in Ethuvereise.  
**nazhcreis** , n., pl. _nazhcreian_. A night-hunting feline predator, possibly similar to the North American cougar/puma/mountain lion. The same caveat applies as with _nazh_. 

**nesecho** , n. A decorative carving similar to a [netsuke](http://www.netsuke.org/page-1125375), common in Barizheise culture. Frequently given as gifts between friends, or as tokens of esteem. The specific type of carving may have symbolic meaning. 

**nohecharis** , n., pl. _nohecharei_. The emperor's personal bodyguards. There are always two, one soldier and one maza. Edrehasivar VII is the first emperor in history to accept a woman as _nohecharo_. 

**ordath** , n. Respect. This is a Barizheise word, included primarily for the sake of completeness. 

**os-** , prefix. An intensifier for someone's title or descripion, meaning roughly "honorable".  
**Osmer, -merrem, -min** , title of address for the lesser nobility. Certainly applies to the equivalent of Baron and Baronet, possibly to higher ranks; the exact point of demarcation between Osmer and Dach'osmer is never made explicit. 

**othas-** , prefix. "All" or "every".  
**Othasmeire** , n. A temple not dedicated to any specific deity, and therefore available for the followers of any to worship in. Apparently common as a stand-alone church in rural areas; may be grouped with other dedicated temples in more urban locations. 

**reveth** , n. Death.  
**revethahal** , n. Death-bell; the bell rung to announce a revethvoran.  
**revethmaz** , n. Death-spell.  
**revethvoran** , n. Ritual suicide, similar to _seppuku_ but performed differently.  
**revethvoreis'atha** , n. The ritual sword used in committing revethvoran.  
**revethvoris** , n. A man who has chosen or been sentenced to commit revethvoran. (A woman would be _revethvoro_.) Also used as a title of address for such a person. 

**sharadansho** , n. A type of lace made from extremely fine silk thread, said to cause blindness in those who make it because of its intricacy. It may be similar to [tatted lace](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/56/a6/58/56a658dfeb2b58b05d0756fe7f32e9df.jpg) or [bobbin lace](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/34/2d/86/342d86dea503e984dd544d1132848167.jpg), or it might be a variety of [cutwork](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ea/d0/ba/ead0ba76482d506cc33690b5bf73574c.jpg). 

**stathan** , n. A psychic/mystical connection between people otherwise unassociated who have died in the same tragic incident. (The description of this in the book is extremely vague, and this is more or less a best-guess definition.) 

**tangrisha** , n. A type of sea creature with scales and a squarish face, associated with protection. It may fill a slot in the sea-lore of the Ethuveraz similar to the one filled by dolphins in our world.  
**theileian** , n. A large auditorium or hall.  
**thu** , n. (collective, combinatory). Elves - mostly seen in combination form, as in Ethuveraz or Thu-Cethor. 

**ulimeire** , n. Temple dedicated to Ulis, the god of death. Appears to function primarily as a funeral home, with no permanent congregation, and has a cemetery attached.  
**ulishenathaän** , n, A bequest of remembrance, literally "token of a dead person".  
**Untheileniese'meire** , n. The official temple of the Untheileniese Court, with a large central hall flanked by several smaller shrines dedicated to specific deities and an Othasmeire to cover the rest.  
**Untheileian** , n. The emperor's largest and most formal audience hall; also the standard location for major court functions such as the Winternight Ball. 

**veklevezhek** , n. The practice of solving a contentious problem by ignoring it until it disappears; "deciding what to do with a prisoner by staking him below the tide-line while you argue". This is a Barizheise word which has been borrowed into Ethuvereise.  
**veranis** , n., pl. _veranei_. A female-to-male transsexual; a male-to-female transsexual would be a _verano_. Note: this word does not occur in the book, but is from the fic [Oh, the Wind and Rain](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5839492) by Path; included because others may find it useful.  
**veras** , n. (collective). People. This word is used by the people the Evressai steppes; it may connect to the name Ethuveraz itself, which probably translates as "Elf-people" or something similar.  
**Verven'theileian** , n. The meeting hall of the Corazhas. The exact translation of "verven-" is unclear. 

**Zhas** , title. Emperor. Follows the regnal name: Edrehasivar VII Zhas.  
**Zhasan** , title. Empress -- the emperor's wife.  
**Zhasanai** , title. Dowager Empress -- the late emperor's widow. 

**zhornu** , n. The word for "cousin" in some northern dialects of Ethuvereise. 

 

I must confess myself entirely stymied for any translation of the term **"Witness _vel ama_ "**. It is described as meaning "one who speaks for the literally voiceless", as in an inanimate object -- the Witnesses for the _Wisdom of Choharo_ could also be described by this term -- but there are absolutely no etymological clues anywhere else in the book as to which word might mean what. The term stands in solitary splendor. 

 

Not language-related, but I found it helpful to make a list of the members of the Corazhas, so I'm including it here:  
* The Witness for Foreigners, Lord Bromar  
* The Witness for the Prelacy (later replaced)  
* The Witness for the Universities, Lord Isthanar  
* The Witness for the Parliament, Lord Deshehar  
* The Witness for the Judiciate, Lord Pashavar  
* The Witness for the Treasury, Lord Berenar (later replaced)  
* The Witness for the Athmaz'are, Sonevet Athmaza  
Added to this are the Lord Chancellor and the Emperor.

**Word of God:** I had a chance to speak with the author, and asked her about the relationship between the elves and the people of the badlands (the area around Ezho). She said that the badlands folk are of the same heritage as the nomads of the Evressai steppes, and that both of them are related to the elves in a way similar to the Romulans' relationship to the Vulcans -- entirely different culture, some morphological variations (cf. the long, sharp canine teeth), but close enough to breed. 

Island_of_Reil points out that there is a [map](http://katherineaddison.com/map.html) of the Ethuveraz on the author's website, and that looking at it allows us to infer that the elves consider cities in general to be feminine -- most of the city names end with "o". 

kitrinlu has posted [Further Extracts from A Handbook for Travelers in the Elflands](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/yuletide2015/works/5406761), which is both interesting and informative.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a bit of a language geek, and the Ethuvereise language appears to be very etymologically consistent. Since the author didn't provide us with a glossary, I took it upon myself to work out as much of one as I could come up with. Further suggestions will be welcomed (in comments) and added.


End file.
